Culture shock rating

Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.

Low

Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.

Medium

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.

High

You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.

Low

Physicality

Physical rating

Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.

Low

Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.

Medium

Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

High

Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.

Low

TOUR SNAPSHOT

“”

Gladys was excellent - informative, personable and enthusiastic. We think that it was a bit expensive..

Mr. David R., United Kingdom - 05 Mar 2018

First time to San Jose and first time to book with Urban Adventures. We booked Costa Rica Pura Vida Experience tour on Aug17. The tour guide showed up 10 minutes later than the pickup time. We walked in downtown San Jose and he showed and told us the buildings and history about Costa Rica. We had two chances taking the local bus which is a very good experience. We were lucky we did not hit the traffic. We had a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. Next we visited a masquerade family. Overall, the itinerary of the tour is good and please be prepared that the tour will be last longer than 4 hours.

Mr. Shun Yuen K., Canada - 07 Sep 2017

Augustine was an excellent guide thank you

Ms. Brid C., North Ireland - 05 Aug 2017

Tour snapshot

Unmask the beauty of contemporary Costa Rican life on this walking tour of San Jose and Escazu. Get hooked up with some of Costa Rica's local legends, freshest food (make your own tortillas anyone?) and rustic restaurants on this San Jose tour that has you walking in holy footsteps and riding public transport for the ultimate insiders experience!

Highlights

Discover a tale of two cities, exploring the real Costa Rica in San Jose and Escazu, the “City of Witches”

Walk the spiritual route of churches and learn the rich local history of Catholicism

Experience the lively atmosphere of the Central Market, and ride like a local about public transport

Exclusions: Transportation to and from meeting point, food and drink other than specified above, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, beverages and alcoholic drinks, tips / gratuities for the guide.

Schedule details

Duration: 4 hours

Meeting point:

Main entrance of the National Theatre (Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica), at 2nd Avenue and 3rd Street, San Jose.

Starting time: 10.00 AM

Ending point:

National Theatre

FULL ITINERARY

Setting off from the beautiful National Theatre Building, you’ll instantly fall in love with San Jose’s beauty. Fortunately, this city has so much more to offer, so you still have loads to look forward to!

Our San Jose walking tour will go past historical churches like the Cathedral and La Merced, along a path that’s known as the ‘Route of the Churches’ in this city. You’ll also learn the history behind the graffiti that we’ll will see along the way, giving you a taste of contemporary Costa Rican life. Then, because we think the best way to get to know San Jose is to live it like a local, we’ll do just that, with a visit to the Central Market.

You can’t visit San Jose without checking out the market. A place with over a century of history really is a mandatory stop for anyone looking to enjoy typical Costa Rican food. The San Jose Central Market is also the perfect place to learn about local traditions – like herbal medicines and witchcraft – and to grab a freshly roasted cup of that famous Costa Rican coffee. We’ll visit little shops and explore local artisan stalls. The Central Market is always buzzing with energy, and is a truly authentic cultural experience – a must-see in San Jose.

After walking through the Central Market, we’ll board our transportation to one of the oldest cities in Costa Rica, Escazu, which holds a rich history of witches. On our way to the city of the witches, you’ll spot La Sabana Metropolitan Park, which used to be the San Jose international airport.

Full of knowledge, secrets, and inspiration, we’ll shift gears to delicious, authentic Costa Rican cuisine. We’ll venture to a 100-year-old restaurant that’s known for its traditional fare, and where you’ll get a real taste of Costa Rica, with a choice of over 20 different Costa Rican tapas! After lunch we’ll taste chicha, a traditional local drink that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. Our beverage will also prepare us for one of the coolest local traditions: Costa Rican masks and masquerade, and we’re taking you straight to the legends. We’ll pay a visit to a legendary local master’s house, where three generations of the same family have been making some of the country’s most beautiful masks for celebrations and special holidays. Here we’ll be privy to his creative genius, and he’ll let us in on the family’s secrets for making Costa Rica’s most famous masks.

By the end of this San Jose tour, you’ll feel so much like a local, we bet you’ll be speaking Costa Rican Spanish and everything!

Additional information

Exclusions: Transportation to and from meeting point, food and drink other than specified above, souvenirs and items of a personal nature, beverages and alcoholic drinks, tips / gratuities for the guide.

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable, casual clothing for walking.

Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point.
Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Additional Information: The temperature drops in the late afternoon, so please bring light jackets and/or long sleeved shirts.

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

Traveller rating

Rating summary

Mr. David R. from United Kingdom travelled on 05 Mar 2018

Gladys was excellent - informative, personable and enthusiastic. We think that it was a bit expensive..

Mr. Shun Yuen K. from Canada travelled on 07 Sep 2017

First time to San Jose and first time to book with Urban Adventures. We booked Costa Rica Pura Vida Experience tour on Aug17. The tour guide showed up 10 minutes later than the pickup time. We walked in downtown San Jose and he showed and told us the buildings and history about Costa Rica. We had two chances taking the local bus which is a very good experience. We were lucky we did not hit the traffic. We had a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. Next we visited a masquerade family. Overall, the itinerary of the tour is good and please be prepared that the tour will be last longer than 4 hours.

Ms. Brid C. from North Ireland travelled on 05 Aug 2017

Augustine was an excellent guide thank you

Ms. Carmen M. from Australia travelled on 11 Jun 2017

I have already posted my review of this tour with Trip Adviser. I was extremely happy with the day and my guide was fabulous.

Mr. Aaron C. from USA travelled on 24 May 2017

I did four tours in four days. Day 1 was the San Jose Bites and Sites tour, Day 2 was the Cup of Heredia tour, Day 3 was the Chocolate and Rainforest Adventure, and Day 4 was the Pura Vida experience. My tour guide for Days 1 and 2 was Felipe, for Day 3 was Augustin and Marco, and for Day 4 it was Viniicio. All of them were awesome, had great English skills, and made the time on the tour special. My only regret is not having more time to stay in Costa Rica and learn more about the culture. I would definitely recommend all of these tours to anyone who is going to Costa Rica and if the get the people I mentioned as tour guides then they are in for a great experience!

Ms. Laura K. from Lithuania travelled on 12 Feb 2017

This tour was an excellent introduction to San Jose/Escazu and the Costa Rican culture. Carolina is very knowledgeable and I enjoyed this tour. I felt I knew a lot more about the Costa Rica after this tour. Thanks so much for a fun day out

Mr. Nigel D. from Switzerland travelled on 11 Dec 2016

Thanks a lot to Carolina for the very informative tour and insights into the life of the locals

Ms. Gwendolyn G. from USA travelled on 25 Oct 2016

While I really enjoyed the tour today with Vinicio (he was amazing), this tour was billed as a 4-hour tour with lunch.....I was slightly disappointed that we didn't get to the restaurant and eat until 3:30, but even more disappointing is that the tour went almost 7 hours.....traveling back to our hotel in rush hour traffic in downtown San Jose for more than an hour on a full bus only to still have to walk more than 20 mins to get to our hotel was not how I pictured the end of the tour ... I'm exhausted. I wrote to the tour company and they responded right away to say they'd look into it, but I never heard back after that. I guess if you're up front that you want to make sure you're on your way back downtown by 3:30, you should really enjoy this tour!

Mr. Sam H. from Australia travelled on 19 Sep 2016

Great tour. Learnt a lot about the local history, loved lunch at the market. Really enjoyable and Caro was a delight. Was a great way to get to know San Jose and the true meaning of Pura Vida.

Mr. Nestor P. from Australia travelled on 17 May 2016

Randall was exceptional. Great experience for anyone who wants to know more about Costa Rica's Capital :-)

Ms. Francine B. from Canada travelled on 20 Mar 2016

I was unable to do the booked trip but Eric Gomez made sure that we got the tour and it was exactly what we expected and he was very accommodating and has great knowledge of the history of San Jose. It worked out better as there was an ox cart parade the day we visited.

Mrs. Barbara R. from USA travelled on 08 Nov 2015

This was an excellent tour. We got our exercise plus a lot of good information on local San Jose sites and customs.

Ms. Clare H. from USA travelled on 22 Sep 2015

The tour in San Jose was wonderful. We saw much of the city and enjoyed a wonderful meal. Meeting Gerardo Montoya was also very special and we will never forget our experience. Thank you!

Mr. Robert M. from USA travelled on 26 May 2015

Eric was the best! I took two tours and both were fantastic. Eric shares his love of San Jose and the local life. He is incredibly knowledgeable of the history and the local culture. He is happy to answer any question.

Mr. Gil S. from USA travelled on 09 Apr 2014

This was an exceptional tour with Eric and Carlos. We had an extra day is San Jose and the hotel clerk recommend Urban Adventures. We could not have benn more pleased with Eric/Carlos knowledge/enthusiasm and wonderful custome service. Highly recommend.

Mr. Tony M. from USA travelled on 15 Dec 2013

ERIC GOMEZ WAS OUR GUIDE FOR THIS TOUR. WE WERE EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH HIS PERSONAL TOUCH. HE SHARED OPENLY WITH US ABOUT HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A COSTA RICAN, WAS QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN REGARD TO LOCAL CULTURE & TRADITIONS. WE ENJOYED THE TOUR IMMENSELY AND WOULD RECOMMEND THE TOUR TO ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT SAN JOSE AND LOCAL CULTURE. THANK YOU, ERIC!